As a fan of track and field and a teacher of human sexuality I have long followed Caster Semenya's story. I remember watching her win the World Championship in Berlin and have closely followed the ensuing years as the IAAF have attempted to regulate female testosterone in athletics. I was interested in hearing this in Semenya's own words and my heart breaks for all that she was subjected to as a teenager in a strange country. This book was an interesting glimpse into her life. i appreciated her candor as she discussed her condition and what it means to be intersexed as well as the ways that the apparent remedies put forth by the IAAF impacted her physical and mental health. I enjoyed the pictures and stories of both her family of origin and the family she has created with her wife. I will recommend this story to any of my students who want to learn more about the issue of intersex or Caster Semenya specifically.

Caster Semenya's dedication to her sport and to herself, even in the face of opposition, and in many cases, humiliating invasions of privacy, makes for an inspiring read. Her book takes us beyond the headlines that brutally blasted her personal business across the front page, and she shows us the humanity of her childhood and her dreams to excel as a runner. This is the young adult version of her autobiography, and as such, she has tempered some of the more graphic details, but the life lessons in this book are still evident and admirable.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

Caster Semenya does a good job sharing about her experiences with discrimination in international sports. She explains what being intersex means and the deeply humiliating way that she was “examined” before she could race in Berlin. I think this book could lead to some rich discussions about human rights, who is allowed to compete, and who gets to decide. This was a fast and interesting read.